The Basilica Restaurant — Restaurant in England

The good bits first. The service was good most of the time. Not hugely attentive but friendly and helpful.

The decor is nice a bit 1990s but nothing wrong in that. Why they have a mini grand piano in there is a bit of a mystery.

The pricing isn’t bad, well appears not to be in comparison to other Italians I eat at in Essex and London. But read on.

I mentioned the 90s previously. This is where the food comes from. Smothered in thick sauces etc. That old Anglo/Italian.

2 of the party had fried Mozzarella, looked bought in and deep fried but ok. The capacio beef was ok. Drowned a bit clearly pre prepped. The mussels hadn’t seen the odd Marienera sauce during cooking. Under seasoned and bland.

On to the mains, a steak dish with something resembling Parma ham and cheese was cooked to order but again lacked seasoning. The Lasagne was again pre prepared banged in the turbo oven to reheat with a crispy bottom. Sea bass hmmm a plate of oil and low quality sea bass fillets fatty rather than crispy skin, Cherry tomatoes, most of which went back. The rack of lamb special was probably the worst of the lot. Cooked to the desired order but bland under seasoned, on a bed of lumpy mash and covered in some brown gravy which tasted of nothing, waste of good ingredients. A chicken breast in beige tasteless sauce topped off the ensemble. Nothing inedible but nothing good which at their price point it should be.

We decided against deserts, the double espresso was poor.

Went to pay with Amex as they presented the bill in an Amex folder and had Amex stickers on the doors. To be told they don’t accept it. That is always amusing.

Overall I would recommend going elsewhere. Unless it is the 90s Italian thing...

A very pleasant Easter lunch with impeccable service

Today we had the 'grande piacere' of a most enjoyable and leisurely lunch at the Basilica restaurant in the Westcliff area of Southend. I don't believe it is possible to speak too highly of both the welcome and the service we received from Salvatore and his team this afternoon. As you walk into this sublime restaurant, it is just as if you enter a little piece of Italy right here in coastal Essex, the ambience and whole experience is as close to dining in Italy as I can imagine, so one must say a massive 'Complimenti!' to the entire team. With a superb choice of menus (including, on certain days, a set menu that offers incredible value!) not to mention an excellent wine list, it only remained for us to undergo the gastronomic experience and, it is more than fair to say we were not disappointed here. From starters through to desserts we were treated to the finest quality seafood, pasta and desserts, accompanied by excellent wines. Indeed, as we enjoyed our lunch, there was a large table celebrating a 50th Wedding Anniversary, which definitely added to the atmosphere making this a most fortuitous find for us for an Easter lunch, it has indeed been a great experience and, as we said to Salvatore, while this was our first time to visit the Basilica, it will most certainly not be our last!! Most highly recommended, our compliments to the chef, kitchen staff and Salvatore together with his front of house team! Semplicemente meravigloso! Aspettiamo molto la...

A Birthday to Remember at The Basilica

Last Saturday, I celebrated my birthday at The Basilica, and as an Italian living in England, I can honestly say it was the best food I’ve had since moving here.

The service was friendly, precise, and attentive from start to finish. We were a group of seven, including a child, and ordered a variety of specialities to share. For my starter, I chose mozzarella triangles and a seafood antipasto — everything was fresh, and the vegetables were perfectly crunchy and full of flavour.

For my main, I had seafood linguine (you can even choose your type of pasta). The mussels and prawns were cooked to absolute perfection, and the pasta was exactly as it should be — al dente and delicious.

To finish, I indulged in a banoffee pie served with their handmade vanilla ice cream (and accompanied by "Happy Birthday's song). Simply divine. We finished with a expresso coffee and a limoncello shot. ❤️

The atmosphere was another highlight — the charm of old and new Italian songs playing in the background, surrounded by reproductions and prints of famous Italian paintings. For a moment, I truly felt like I was back in Italy.

Thank you, The Basilica, for making my birthday so special. I had the best time of my life, and I can’t...